If you haven’t snapped up this fairy tale classic for your Kindle yet, do it now while it’s only 99 cents! Share with your friends!

2015 Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award Winner

In the fairy tale realm of Arilland, stories are told at children’s bedsides–and not the stories you think you know. Tales of Arilland is a collection of fairy tales, presented in the magical topsy-turvy way that only Alethea Kontis can do. Discover the story of Bluebeard’s first wife (“Blood From Stone”), what really happened to Snow White in those dark woods (“The Unicorn Hunter”), how dangerous the Little Mermaid might have been (“Blood and Water”), and just how far Little Red Riding Hood was willing to go (“Hero Worship”). Included in this collection is “Sunday,” the original novelette that inspired the award-winning novel Enchanted, as well as “The Cursed Prince,” the previously untold history of Prince Rumbold of Arilland…and more.

Woodcutter enthusiasts will rejoice at this opportunity to delve into the secret worlds beyond Kontis’s intricately woven fantasy novels. And if you are not a fan yet, you will be!

While sorting out my library this year, I found multiple boxes of Elemental: The Tsunami Relief Anthology. It was the first book I ever got published, a collection of SF All-Stars edited by me, with an intro by Arthur C. Clarke and a cover by Michael Whelan. I’ve got hardcovers, paperbacks, and ARCs…so if you’d like a particular version, please specify in the notes of your order!

Hello, everyone! I’m trying out something new: a Thunderclap campaign to get the word out about the Storenvy sale this Black Friday, where signed copies of of both TRIXTER and TALES OF ARILLAND will be 30% off!

From Publisher’s Lunch:NYT bestselling co-author Alethea Kontis’s Young Adult novel debut, SUNDAY, about the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, youngest sister to the other six days of the weeks, who writes stories that may or may not come true, and the enchanted frog/prince who asks her about those stories and may or may not be falling in love with their author, to Reka Simonsen at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s by Deborah Warren of East/West Literary Agency, LLC. (World excluding audio) dwarren@eastwestliteraryagency.com

Right now, the proposed pub date is 2012…but don’t fret, my chickadees. 2012 is right around the corner. And worry not, for I have many other new and fun things in store for you to whet your appetite until then! I’ll keep you posted!

That’s what, the price of two Starbucks Frappuccinos? If you already have your copy, now’s the time to get one for that destitute book-loving friend you have that’s been hit hard by this economy. (Nowadays, we all have at least one of those…)

You might remember Harlan as the location of the TV series Justified. Who knew this little-known burg would get airtime on the small screen? Every time I see the show, it’s like a commercial for this book.

My contribution to this cool little anthology is a ghost story with fey undertones called “The Witch of Black Mountain.” I had a really great time doing research for this one — my thanks to Wikipedia and the surrounding national forest websites for providing the backdrop for this story. I wanted to stand in Ennica Jamison’s footsteps. I wanted to walk up that mountain with her and see what she saw. I researched exactly how long that walk would be, what the terrain looked like, the elevation, and what exactly she would find at the top. When I discovered what marked the pinnacle was an abandoned metal lookout tower, the story just told itself to me in my head.

The best review I received for this story was not in print, but came from a friend of mine whose father-in-law lived in Harlan. He said that when he read the story, he felt like he was there on the mountain with Ennica, too. Mission accomplished!!

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Excerpt from “The Witch of Black Mountain”:

Letting Anthony Gentry get her pregnant was the stupidest thing Ennica Jamison had ever done. Hiking to the summit of Black Mountain to see a witch was the second. It had been a warm November afternoon when she’d left her stolen horse on the path at the base of the mountain; now it was cold and dusk. She placed a foot on the first step of the abandoned lookout tower. She’d been walking for hours, slow but determined, sprinkling what sanity she had left behind her like breadcrumbs in the dirt. She grasped the rusted orange railing firmly with a gloved hand. One last thing left to climb. One last moment before she discovered just how stupid she really was.

She stomped her boots hard on the metal to make sure there was no ice; each step brought one more inescapable thought along with it. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw herself stabbing Anthony in the heart—the heart he didn’t have—so she tried not to close her eyes, but her mind still raced against her will. How he and that bitch Tanya must have laughed at her; how they must be laughing at her still. Her father would be mad that she’d taken the horse out overnight, but he’d be furious when he found out he was going to be a grandfather.

While I was out, Jason Sizemore left one of those pink post-its on my desk that said “APEX HAS A NEW ONLINE STORE. GO FIX ALL YOUR LINKS.”

Sure enough, there is a new online store. Click here and go check it out. It’s snazzy. I’m looking forward to getting my wicked new alien t-shirt. It’s the least Jason can do for making me go through all my bibliography pages and change the links. Well, that was the least he could do for ME. What he did for YOU was host a 40% off sale for all his in-print books (all digital & physical, no preorders).

That’s right — pick up a copy of Dark Faith (did you get on at Necon? I’m in it!) or Harlan County Horrors (because you’ve become obsessed with the show Justified and want to creep yourself out for Halloween) or Beauty & Dynamite (because you’ve dropped your copy in the tub. Admit it).

Just type in NEWSTORE40 when you check out to get the 40% off. This offer ends July 23, so you should just hop on over there soon. Now sounds good.

In the meantime, I’m going to go snag those links I just posted and fix my website…

To celebrate I’m giving out a $5.00 coupon for use in the Apex Shop good on any order until March 23rd. Just enter BIRTHDAY on checkout to receive your discount. (Hey, after five years, y’all know that I’m always hustling!)